“Happy are those…” 

(Psalm 84) 

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.  Selah

Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!  Selah

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.

            Peninsula United Methodist Church has been and is a great place to grow up, a great place to call home.  I know this for many reasons, but a big one is because I know the Collins family, for whom we have gathered to honor.  This church has been holy ground for the Collinses and for many of us, even those who are spread far and wide.  Even though I did not grow up here, it is my spiritual home—has been since 1980. 

            The Psalm that you heard Lynn read, Psalm 84, is one of the most expressive and beautiful of our Psalms.  It may originally have been sung or recited by people who were making their way to Jerusalem to pay homage to God in that holy place.  Verse 1 sets the stage, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!  My soul longs to be there, and my heart sings for joy in God’s presence.”

            Today we honor a family whose roots are deep in this place, a family that has been a backbone of this congregation for many, many years.  Bob and Pat Collins came to Peninsula in about 1957.   Bob had grown up in rural Bath, Ohio and Pat in Protection, Kansas.  They met when Bob was in the Air Force stationed in Kansas.  They fell in love, got married and when Bob’s military time was up, they came to Ohio (lucky for us because if Bob had found work there they would have stayed in Kansas). 

Once they were living in Peninsula, they immediately found their church home here.  Pat had been part of a Methodist Church growing up, so coming to this church was a no-brainer.  And Rev. Gene Benedict was the pastor then, so his welcome immediately made this a good place for them to call home.  Gene was always such an important presence in their lives. 

I needed a reminder from Sharon about when each of you Collins kids were born.  I will tell you all this: There were 5 kids in 10 years beginning in 1954.  This family loved babies!  But we all know that.  And you all grew up coming to this church.

            The Collins family has always been an integral part of our church family.  Pat had a beautiful soprano voice and was a good pianist.  She even played the organ sometimes.  She was our representative to Annual Conference for a few years.  My family has sweet memories of sharing a cottage in Lakeside with Bob, Pat and Sharon.  Bob, when he had the time, especially after retiring, was willing to be on call for handy guy jobs, quietly helping with so many projects around here. 

Sharon was always involved with the children’s program.  She was our youth leader at a time when our kids really needed her quiet support. Susie, helped with art projects and was a willing participant in a certain memorable Easter sunrise service when she and Jim Schmidt were Raggedy Ann and Andy.  Later, Rick served a number of years as Finance Chairperson, not always a fun gig!  Rick and Sally headed up a bunch of fund raisers over the years, but when one Collins was involved in an event, you could count on them all willing to participate.

Bob, you have been a constant as well, though you were busy with your life.  I know, when you were kids, you were here for Sunday School. 

Today we are celebrating the over 50 years that members of the Collins family have been our church custodians.  It really has been a family affair.  When we arrived in 1980, Susie was doing the job.  When she left to get married, get her bank job and raise her girls, Sharon took the job back over.  When someone couldn’t cover the work one week, another of the Collinses would step in to help.  Or when there was a special event, several family members pitched in.  You all know every nook and cranny of this building, and you love it (although I don’t doubt that you got more than a little weary of it sometimes).  But it has been your spiritual home in so many ways.  I remember that early on Suzy liked to polish the brass candelabra and candle holders.  Sharon made sure that the kitchen sparkled. 

This legacy was passed down to Amanda and Erin, Suzie’s daughters, now mothers themselves.  I know they both spent time here as children when their mom or their aunt was cleaning.  This was in addition to coming to Sunday School every week.  And I’m aware that many of the kids in town that Sharon helped to raise (mine included) were in this place on Saturdays when the cleaning magic happened because Sharon would graciously say yes to our need for child care!  Those kids probably learned a thing or two about cleaning and organizing, thank goodness. 

            So we really can celebrate this holy space today as we celebrate the Collins family.  We are so grateful for your service to us and to this church that we know is more than a building.  Just as the ancient writer of today’s Psalm wrote to us about longing for the “court of the Lord,” this really is our sacred home.  This is the place where you learned about God and Jesus at the knee of the elders like Jean Russell who had you learn the 10 Commandments and various Bible verses that I’m sure you still carry in your hearts.  This is where we learned and were shown the way of faithfulness by the likes of Bob and Pat Collins, Bob and Jean Lee, Ruth Brown, Moe Klippert, Walter Beavin, Martha Mayer, John Puchalsky, the Reinharts, Gerte Thiel, the Benedicts, Laura and Lester Morato (to name only a few). 

We learn from our church family how faith carries us through even the most difficult of times.  Our Psalmist tells us that “even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young at your altar, O God.  Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.”

            I know that church sometimes becomes complicated because it’s full of turkeys like all of us, past, present and future, yet there is something so beautiful about being loved and supported by a church family, even with all our flaws.      

            …I will close with the last few verses from our Psalmist: “For a day in your courts, O God,” he or she said, “is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than anywhere else.  For the Lord is a sun and a shield, and happy is everyone who trusts in God.” 

…Dear Collinses, please feel our love and thanks today and know that you and your whole family are cherished.